eisenhart



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Y l E. H. EISENHART.

-MAGBINB FOR BUNGHING MATCH STICKS. No. 496,778. Patented May 2, 1893.

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E. H. BISBNHART. MAGHINE POR B UNGHING MATCH sTIoKs.

(No Model.)

No. 496,778. Patented May z, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-EDWARD I-l. EISENHART, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR BUNCHING MATCH-STICKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,778,lated May 2, 1893.

Application led September 13, 1892. Serial No. 445,776. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. EISENHART,

their convenient dipping to provide the sticks with igniting heads.

In this type of machines it is usual to deliver the sticks between two webs, tapes or bands-which are then convoluted into a roll with the ends of the sticks projecting. The provision of a pair of webs, tapes or bands with their supporting wheels and other adjuncts materially complicates .the machine and renders it expensive in construction.

The objects of my invention are to simplify and improve the prior machines; to dispense with one of the webs, tapes or bands'and the rollers and supports necessary therefor; to provide novel means for conducting the match sticks to the upper side of a single web, tape or band so that the latter can be convoluted into a roll with the sticks in proper position for dipping, and to provide novel means for agitating and feeding the sticks from the stick reservoir or hopper to the web, tape or band.

To accomplish all these objectsV my invention involves the features of construction and hopper bottom. Fig.- 4, is a broken vertical sectional view on a larger scale, showing the formation of the roll or bunch of sticks and a part of the hopper. Fig. 5, is a broken vertical sectional view on a larger scale to clearly show the vertical guide-way or chute and the curved shield or guard, and Fig. 6, is a detail plan view of one of the ratchet wheels round which the web, tape or band passes.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to makeand use my invention, I will now describe the same in detail, referring to the drawings wherein- The numeral l indicates a hopper or reservoir of any construction suitable for the conditions required and containing a horizontal partition 2, having a central aperture 3, for the passage of thematch sticks to the chamber below the partition where a rocking feeder or hopper bottom is located. This feeder or hopper bottom is segmental in form, but is in fact greater than a half circle and it comprises side pieces 4, curved cross-pieces 5, and lateral flanges 6, on which the ends of the match sticks rest. The'lateral flanges may have narrow slots 7, for the passage of splints which are of sufficient length but too thin for proper matches. The segmental feeder or hopper bottom is mounted on a horizontal shaft 8 supported by a part of a suitable stationary framework or main frame 9, and the curved cross-pieces 5 are provided with upper and lower transverse ledges, shoulders or cleats l0 and 11. y

The upper end of the main frame supports a horizontal beam or bar l2 carrying the pivots 13 of pendulous supports or arms 14 having weighted branches 15, and carrying the rolls 16, for taking up or winding the webs 17 which pass from the roll shafts 18 up over the web supporting wheels 19. These wheels are each provided with a circumferential groove 20, Fig. 6, to receive a web and at each 'side of the groove is a plain, annular friction surface 21, and an annular series of ratchet teeth 22. The journals or shafts 23, Fig. l, of the ratchet wheels are j ournaled in the main frame 9, and partially encircling each wheel is a stationary, segmental shield or guard 24 between which and the ratchet wheels the match sticks are carried downward as will hereinafter appear.

A spur wheel 25, driven by any suitable power has its shaft provided with a pinion 26, engaging a spur wheel 27 for rotating one of the ratchet wheels 19. The other ratchet wheel19 is rotated in a similar manner, but the spur wheel and pinion are not illustrated as an exhibition of the means for rotating one of the ratchet wheels is deemed sufficient. It

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is proper to here state that the machine illustrated in the drawings is what may be termed a duplex machine, but a single ratchet wheel and a single web or tape may be employed without altering the character of my invention. In other words, the several parts are duplicated at opposite sides of a vertical line taken centrally through the machine Fig. 1, but those parts at one side of such line may be employed if a single machine is desired. The spur wheel 25 also serves to impart a rotary motion to a crank disk or wheel 26%Fig. 1, having a crank pin 27a, adapted to workin a slot 23 of a vertically arranged Vibratory bar 29, journaled in any suitable manner on the shaft 8 of the rocking feeder or hopper bot- \tom. The end of the vibratory bar 29 above the shaft S is provided with a slot 30, receiving a pin 31 on a plate 32, securely fastened to a horizontal bar 33, in such manner that when the bar 29 is vibrated, the bar 33 is reciprocated in a horizontal plane. The extremities of the bar 33 connect with movable plates 34, located in the hopper box by any suitable pin connection passing through slots 35 so that when the bar 33 is' reciprocated, a corresponding movement is imparted to the plates 34. The plates 34 are each supported upon the flat upper side of a cross-bar 36, having at its inner face a perpendicular guideway or chute 37 down which the matches are adapted to pass so that as the matches discharge at the lower end of each guideway or chute they are engaged by ratchet teeth of the ratchet wheels 19 and are carried downward beneath the shields or guards 24 and delivered upon the upper surface of a web 17, after which this web is convoluted into a roll by frictional contact of the friction surfaces 21 with the surface of the roll being formed on the take-up rolls 16. As the rolls increase in diameter the pendulous arms 14 yield outwardly as will be obvious.

` The hopper bottom or feeder may be rocked in any suitable manner, as by making the shaft 3 a rock shaft and imparting a rocking motion to this shaft through the medium of the vibratory bar 29. The upper ledges or shoulders 10 force the match sticks into the vertical guideways or chutes 37 and the lower ledges or shoulders 11 agitate or separate the sticks at Vunderstood by reference to Fig. 4.

the mouths or upperends of the guideways or chutes. The reciprocating plates 34 feed the sticks toward the rocking feeder or hopper bottom so that the upper ledges or shoulders 10 will constantly press or force the match sticks downward into the vertical guideways or chutes.

It will be observed that the vertical guideways or chutes arelocated above the websupporting ratchet wheels 19 and consequently all match sticks are accurately guided to the uppermost portions of the ratchet teeth of said wheels so that the sticks are separated from each other and carried downward to the upper surfaces of the webs or tapes as will be The drawagarre ings only illustrate a few match sticksv in the' hopper box, but in practical operation the chamber below the partition 2 will be constantly supplied with a large number of sticks.

By arranging the web so that it passes over the uppermost portion of a web supporting ratchet wheel and then extends to the takeup roll, I materially simplify match bunching machines and render it possible to employ a single web for producing a roll or bunch of match sticks. The vertical guideway or chute interposed between the web supporting wheel and the lower portion of the hopper box is an important feature of my invention in that it serves to accurately guide and deliver the match sticks to the web supporting wheel above the upper surface of the web so that the sticks are deposited on the upper surface of the web and thus enable a single web to form a roll or bunch of sticks, as will be obvious by reference to Fig. 4.

By arranging a guideway or chute between the web supporting ratchet wheel and the hopper or reservoir, and constructing this guideway or chute of such dimensions as to receive the match sticks successively, one at a time, the ratchet wheel operates as a cut off to the guideway or chute and insures the separation of the sticks, one from the other, so that the wheel picks up one stick at a time and carries it to the web.

I have illustrated the guideway or chute arranged perpendicular, but do not confine myself to this particular arrangement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination in a machine for bunch ing match sticks, of a hopper, a guideway or chute having its receiving end in direct communication with the bottom of the hopper for conduct-ing the match sticks therefrom in a single column or row, afeeder arranged in the hopper for forcing the match sticks directly into the receiving end of the guideway or chute, a ratchet wheel having its teeth ar`- IIC ranged to take the match sticks one ata time l directly from the delivery end ot' the guideway or chute, a web passing over the ratchet wheel and upon which the match sticks are deposited by the teeth of the ratchet wheel,

and a segmental shield or guard extending round a portion ofthe ratchet wheel, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a machine for bunch'- ing match sticks, of a hopper, a guideway or chute having its receiving end in direct communication with the bottom of the hopper for conducting the match stickstherefromin asingle column or row, an oscillating feed er constituting a bottom for the hopper and having a ledge or shoulder which operates to force the match sticks into the guideway or chute, a ratchet wheel having itsteeth arranged to take the match sticks one at a time directly from the delivery end of the guideway or chute, a web passing over the ratchet wheel Iii 5 cee-mcy and upon which the match sticks are deposited by the teeth of the ratchet wheel, and a segmental shield or guard extending arou nd a portion of the ratchet wheel, substantially as described.

3. The combination ina machine forbunching match sticks, of a hopper, a guideway or chute having its receiving end in direct communication with the bottom of the hopper for conducting 'the match sticks therefrom in a single column or row, a rocking segmental feeder constituting a bottom for the hopper andL having a ledge or shoulder which operates to force the match sticks into the guide- Way or chute, a reciprocating plate for movingl the match sticks toward the rocking feeder, a ratchet wheel having its teeth ar- Y ranged to ktake the match sticks one at a time directly from the delivery end of the guideway or chute, and a web passing over the ratchet wheel and upon which the match sticks are deposited by the teeth thereof, sustantially as described.

4. The combination in a machine for bunching match sticks, of a cross bar provided at its inner side with a guideway or chute Ahaving its mouth or upper end in coincidence with the upper surface of the cross bar to receive the match sticks therefrom, a feeder for forcing the sticks into the mouth or upper end of, the guideway ory chute, a ratchet wheel arranged at the delivery end of the guideway or chute andactng to engage the matches one at a time as they emerge therefrom and a traveling web on the upper surface of which the match sticks are delivered, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a hopper, of a guideway or chute and a rocking hopper bottom having a projecting ledge or shoulder which forces the match sticks downward into the guideway or chute, and a web on the upper surface of which the match sticks are delivered, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set `l my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD H. EISENHART.

Witnesses t ALBERT H. NoRRIs, GEORGE W. REA. 

